Deliberative Dialogues

Deliberative Dialogues are an opportunity to engage in discussions with community
members around a variety of topics of public concern.

Main Page Content

"Unlike debate, or lecture, or an airing of grievances, deliberation asks us to begin
with what we hold most dear and share our personal experiences with a given issue.
It’s not about reaching agreement or seeing eye-to-eye. It’s about looking at the
costs and consequences of possible solutions to daunting problems, and finding out
what we, as a people, will or will not accept as a solution." (www.nifi.org).

Deliberative Dialogues at Brockport

More than 20 faculty, staff, and students have become trained facilitators, with at
least one training session offered each semester. Additionally, each month, we host
a Deliberative Dialogue on a different topic.

How Can We Stop Mass Shootings In Our Communities?Tuesday, February 6, 2018, 2–3 pm100B Edwards Hall

Overall, the United States has become safer in recent years. Yet mass shooters target
innocent people indiscriminately, often in locales where people ordinarily (and rightly)
feel safe—movie theaters, college campuses, schools. How can we stop these violent
acts and ensure that people feel safe in their homes and communities?

How Should We Reduce Obesity In America?Monday, February 19, 2018, 12:30–1:45 pm & 2–3:15 pm119 Seymour College Union

Obesity is a health problem that is growing rapidly in the United States and other
parts of the world. In this country, it is an epidemic. The deliberative dialogue
will explore ways to reduce obesity in America.

Mental Illness in America: How Do We Address a Growing Problem?Tuesday, April 24, 2018, 12:30–1:45 pm & 2–3:15 pm119 Seymour College Union

Unaddressed mental illness hurts individuals and their families and results in lost
productivity. In rare cases, it can result in violence. This deliberative dialogue
will be focused on discussing the effects and causes of mental illness as well as
ways to help, in order to reduce the impact mental illness has on American families.